1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for laser cyclophotocoagulation.
Very varied pharmacological and surgical methods have been proposed for the treatment of glaucoma, i.e., for the reduction of pathologically increased internal ocular pressure. A relatively new surgical method for the improvement of the uveoscleral chamber water drainage is represented by so-called laser cyclophotocoagulation. A description of this method was, for example, given by D. E. Gaasterland et al. The abstract of his lectures can be found in Invest. Ophthalmol. and Visual Sci., Vol. 33, 1992, pp. 1644, entitled "A Multicenter Study of Contact Diode Laser Transscleral Cyclophoto-Coagulation in Glaucoma Patients".
In this method, laser coagulation centers are set up in the sclera of the eye by means of a fiber applicator of spiral or circular shape. A direct destruction of the ciliary epithelium which produces ciliary water results in the induced zones of necrosis, with the consequence of a reduced chamber water production and the lowering of the internal ocular pressure.
2. Relevant Prior Art
Suitable fiber applicators for such a method have to some extent been described in the international patent application WO 92/16259.
However, it has long been considered the most aggravating disadvantage of this method that no kind of feedback is available to the attending doctor concerning the coagulation centers which are set up or the resulting effects in the zones of necrosis. Thus some degree of uncertainty arises as to the extent to which the number of the coagulation centers set up, and/or the applied laser power, is sufficient or possibly has to be changed in the course of further treatment.